Repurposed Zoos and Aquariums
- Thread starter Westcoastperson
- Start date
The Montreal Biodome was built in the former Olympic Velodrome, not Olympic Stadium. They are right next to each other though. Montreal's Olympic Stadium still stands mostly as it did for the 1976 Games and was the home of the Montreal Expos until they left for Washington, D.C. in 2004.
It's too bad they didn't build it in the stadium though! I'm sure it is a significantly larger space and they would've been able to have a few more biomes.
If the stadium sits empty could the zoo not take over that building as well? Hypothetically.
~Thylo
The WCS's Queens Zoo is built on the grounds of the 1964 New York World's Fair. The zoo's aviary is a geodesic dome that was built as the fair's main assembly hall.
A little different to other entries but Animal Adventures in MA is partially built inside of an old home. Literally the main indoor building is an average own story family home with the public restroom being complete with a bath/shower, the main entrance being the home's front door, the entry to the zoos "backyard" exhibits being through a pair of standard patio doors, and several animals having their outdoor access granted through normal sliding windows. It's a... bizarre place.
~Thylo
A little different to other entries but Animal Adventures in MA is partially built inside of an old home. Literally the main indoor building is an average own story family home with the public restroom being complete with a bath/shower, the main entrance being the home's front door, the entry to the zoos "backyard" exhibits being through a pair of standard patio doors, and several animals having their outdoor access granted through normal sliding windows. It's a... bizarre place.
~Thylo
Hypothetically, yes. However, the stadium is still used for hosting events, concerts, local MLS soccer games when ticket demand is high, and at times Canadian Football games. As long as the stadium still serves a purpose, I can't ever imagine the city justifying the cost to gut and convert such a large place.
I'm not from Montreal and have never been there, so I can only speak so much to that possibility. I guess one avenue I could see this scenario taking place is if a new, large multipurpose stadium was built, which may happen in the future. MLB has been talking about expansion for years now and Montreal is always brought up as a potential landing spot by media outlets. If Montreal were to get an expansion team it would likely be contingent on a new stadium being built for the team.
I would say the zoo expanding into the stadium would still be very unlikely. For one, Olympic Stadium would still likely serve as a better option for the events it still holds because most (all?) MLB stadiums built since the 90s have been purpose built for baseball and don't convert very easily for other sports. Based on my experience in MN with the Twins' stadium, this holds true for things like concerts and home shows too in comparison to the old Metrodome. It would likely take an NFL expansion to get a stadium built that could serve a similar purpose to Olympic Stadium and the NFL has normally been firmly against expansion into Canada.
The second hindrance would be the aforementioned cost. Gutting the stands to fully utilize the space would be very costly and that isn't mentioning the other changes needed. Would likely be mich cheaper to just demolish or just let it sit there like many stadiums do. Though an argument for conversion over demolishing it would definitely be based on the buildings history with the Olympics.
Bib Fortuna
Well-Known Member
Limburgse Zoo in Genk, Belgium, was build above an old indian Cemetary, and become itselfs a Pet Cemetary...
I don't wanna be buried....at Limburgse Zoo...
good song.
Seriously- Stralsund Aquarium found its home in an old Monastery
I don't wanna be buried....at Limburgse Zoo...good song.Seriously- Stralsund Aquarium found its home in an old Monastery
Bird Kingdom was at first the headquarters of a corset company until around the late 1950s, which was then a museum, which ran for another 40 something years until costs were too high and someone else bought the building, and thus became what it is today.
The now-closed Fox River Environmental Education Alliance was built inside an old church. It's now a recording studio.
The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio lies on a reclaimed coal mine.
The Queens Zoo and the rest of Corona Park were built on an ash dumping ground.
The Queens Zoo and the rest of Corona Park were built on an ash dumping ground.
Bisonfan
Well-Known Member
I went there this weekend.
Sea Life London is in the former County Hall, Tropiquaria in Washford is based in a still-operational BBC radio transmitter station and uses the heat exhausted by the transmitters to heat its tropical house, and Silent World Aquarium in Tenby was housed in a former Methodist chapel.